7.07.2006

Count Down Time

20 days and counting until the ETA of Hemmeke baby #4. I'm a smart girl and have figured out that sitting on my laurels watching the clock spin is one of the worst ways to wait for something exciting, so I've been busy the past few weeks. Here's what I've been up to:

Cherries: Don't blink or you'll miss.... oops, too late. Rumors around here say that sweet cherry season lasted for about 2-3 days in W. Michigan! I did not go picking, but a generous church member stopped by and shared what she had picked. I tried my hand at canning ALL BY MYSELF for the first time - and had success! Cherry jam should be tasty, but I'll remember to buy a cherry pitter for next summer! My fingers are still stained black from the juice!

Gardens: the veggies are growing nicely and I've picked a few green peppers already. Basil pesto is in the queue for this weekend. The zucchini blooms are open, so we'll be flooded with the "green plague" in a week or two. The flowers around the house are gorgeous and just blooming: hollyhocks, shasta daisies, globe thistles, daylilies, sedum, purple coneflowers, purple petunias, black eyed susans and more. Have you ever seen the flowers that hens and chicks send up? Strange creations! I love watching things grow.

Tie-dye: yup, I tie-dyed some baby onesies for myself and a friend. I also threw in a maternity shirt for myself. Too much fun!

Knitting: I'm ready to give up on the Jaywalker socks. I'm trying them toe-up, two socks on one circular needle and am running into problems with the heels. I've never done short row heels and can't seem to make them fit over my big feet. They have been ripped out 3 times already! The next go at the heels I'll try a toe-up heel flap version, but if anyone has suggestions, please share! I'm also working on a bolero/cardigan/shrug type of sweater out of chunky pure alpaca. It's like knitting with clouds. Mmmm. My favorite color, too: red. What else can nursing moms knit for themselves besides cardigans?!

Of course the family has been busy, too. We've been running through the sprinklers, tried swimming with the kids once, and will be touring a dairy farm to see the milking process and how cheese and ice cream are made (with samples!). Owen thinks brown cows give pure chocolate, so we have to straighten him out. Isaiah is learning his colors based on tractors: John Deere green, Ford blue, Masey Ferguson red, Allis Chalmers orange, etc. What fun!

1 comment:

  1. I can remember when a little more than a year back as we waited for Justin to be born. It is the best of times and the worst of times :)

    I like the idea of tie-dye stuff for the baby. Maybe we should make some for Justin.

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